


Our Blood May be Different, But We Feel the Same Way

by downbyashes



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Android Christophe Giacometti, Android Minami Kenjirou, Android Victor Nikiforov, Android Yuri Plisetsky, Androids, Detroit, Detroit Become Human AU, M/M, POV Multiple, POV Third Person, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:14:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26044795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/downbyashes/pseuds/downbyashes
Summary: Deviants have been popping up more and more lately, and Katsuki Yuuri is part of a team tasked with finding out how and why they become deviant. But when the lab android becomes deviant protecting him from their latest observation subject, Yuuri becomes conflicted between saving the android that saved his life, and following the law to turn him in.As conflict builds in Yuuri, it also builds on the streets as deviant androids begin to rise up against their masters, led by an analytical android fed up with with the life he’s been forced to live. He’s being hunted by an android eager to prove his worth to his creators, and will complete his mission no matter the cost.Welcome to Detroit and the Detroit Become Human AU no one asked for.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Leo de la Iglesia/Ji Guang-Hong
Comments: 10
Kudos: 37





	1. Good Morning, Detroit

**Author's Note:**

> So… I have another AU…
> 
> I’m trying to keep going on my Grocery Store AU, but I’ve hit a point where it’s just not as enjoyable anymore, and I’ve give the reason in my last chapter, which went up last week. 
> 
> In the meantime, I’m beginning a Detroit Become Human AU. 
> 
> Every summer, I come back to the same things: Detroit, and a certain OC of mine. And this year, I decided why not start a new AU? I’m going to try to do some art for this AU and post it on my social media’s, and I’m also going to do some cosplay videos on my TikTok starting in the next month or so when I get the supplies. 
> 
> My AU starts pre-Detroit, like a revolution before the revolution. Like opening a door for the events of the game. 
> 
> And with that, the story begins! Hope you enjoy!

September 17, 2036  
07:00:03  
  


“Good morning, Yuuri! It’s time to wake up!” Minami said, his voice as cheerful as always. Yuuri almost envied him; he’d love to never have to wake up again. He’d miss being able to sleep, but it would be a small sacrifice if it meant never having to wake up ever again. Of course, he’d have to give up more than just sleep, and he didn’t think he’d be able to if he was given the chance.

“Five more minutes,” Yuuri mumbled, rolling over and away from his housekeeper android, squeezing his small, fluffy dog who was trying to escape as he tried to force his body to go back to sleep. 

“I can’t let you do that, Yuuri. You won’t wake up if you fall back asleep now,” Minami walked over to the side of the room, and then the room was flooded with light. “And you have to get ready for work.” 

Yuuri groaned, pulling the blankets over his head until the android tugged them off, and lifted him out of bed. He let Yuuri sit on the edge of his bed as he moved around the room. “Minami, can’t you just call in for me? I don’t feel like going to work today,” Yuuri moaned.

“Nope! You know you’ll regret it if you do. You never know when you could make a breakthrough,” Minami looked to the puppy, who was sitting up and scritching his ear. “Ready to go outside, Vicchan?” 

The poodle let out a small yip and followed the android out of the bedroom. “I’ll be back after Vicchan is fed. I will help you get ready when I do,” Minami called after him. 

Yuuri sighed, rubbing his hands down his face before letting out a small groan. It would have been pointless trying to get even a few more minutes of sleep at that point. Instead of fighting it, he decided to get in the shower, scrubbing away the sleep before getting out and wrapping a towel around his waist. When he returned to his room after brushing his teeth, Minami stood next to the door, hands behind his back. On the bed was a button down shirt and a pair of dress pants, laid out nicely for him to put on. Yuuri slid his arms into the shirt, and Minami stepped forward to swiftly button it before Yuuri pulled on his pants. 

“Is breakfast ready yet?” Yuuri murmured, sliding his glasses on before leading his android downstairs and toward the kitchen. 

“Of course! Nothing too heavy, but something that will get you through the morning,” Minami said. 

Yuuri smiled at his android. “Thank you, Minami. I really appreciate that.”

“Anything for you, Yuuri.” 

Yuuri ate the easy meal in front of him, thinking back to his childhood in Japan, when his mother had made him a very similar meal. It was nice that his android made him meals he’d grown up eating frequently. It was a nice piece of home when he was away working. He would have loved to have been able to stay in Japan, but androids weren’t as prevalent to everyday society the way they were in America. They fascinated him, especially when they went against their programming. It meant every day was different, and there was always a new problem popping up. He’d have to plan a trip home soon…

“Is there anything you need me to do around the house today?” Minami asked from the other side of the table. He never sat with him, only watched from his place behind the chair. 

“Not really. Wash up the dishes, and I think I have some laundry that could be done. Then there’s always dinner, but other than that, you can find something of your choosing to occupy your time,” Yuuri said, picking up his phone to look at his messages. Phichit had already texted him that he was on his way to pick him up for work. 

Minami’s LED on his right temple flashed yellow, before returning to blue. “I’ve made a note of it. Everything will be ready by the time you get home,” Minami said. 

Yuuri had just finished eating when he heard a knock on his front door, then the jangle of keys and the turning of the lock before it was thrown open. “Good morning!” Phichit’s voice called out, far too cheerful for the early hour. 

“ _Ohayou_!” Yuuri said, standing to greet his friend. “How are you this morning?”

“Not bad. You almost ready to go?” Phichit asked. 

The older man nodded, taking his bowl to the counter. “Just need to slip on my shoes and I’m ready,” he said.

Minami followed the humans to the door, handing Yuuri his work bag once he’d slipped his shoes on. “Thank you, Minami. I shouldn’t be at work too late tonight. Take care of the house, and I’ll see you when I get home.” Yuuri reached over to ruffle the android’s hair. He’d had Minami for a few years, almost as long as he’d been in Detroit, and had come to see him as more of a loyal younger brother than an obedient android servant. Minami had become a close companion, sometimes the only person he talked to when he had a day off and didn’t feel like going out. 

The android looked eager to please. “I’ll be waiting for you to get home,” Minami said, standing at the door. “Have a good day at work!” 

“Thank you, Minami,” Yuuri called, sliding into the passenger seat of Phichit’s car. 

“Good morning, Yuuri. I hope your morning has been pleasant so far,” a voice said from the back seat. It didn’t startle Yuuri; on the contrary, he had expected it.

“Good morning, Christophe. My morning has been fine so far, thank you. Are you looking forward to seeing Victor at the lab?” Yuuri asked. Christophe was Phichit’s android, and Phichit took him almost everywhere. Christophe was a very adaptable model, able to perform a variety of tasks, from domestic household chores to intricate data analysis. Christophe helped around the lab, doing the smaller tasks to help the head android, Victor, who worked closely with Yuuri. Christophe was also good friends with Victor, at least in the way androids could be without emotions. 

“I am. He said he would be working through the night, so I’ll be interested to see what he’s done,” the android said as Phichit started the car, and backed out of the driveway. Yuuri waved at Minami, who watched from the window, and the android eagerly waved back before disappearing into the house. 

The drive wasn’t too long, only twenty minutes with the traffic, and the time was passed in light conversation-what their plans were for the coming weekend, how Yuuri’s family was doing, how much longer Leo and Guang Hong, a cop and one of their coworkers respectively, who were also Phichit’s roommates, were going to keep their relationship secret from them, even though they both knew they’d been together for at least a month already. 

They walked into the sterile white building, waving their badges at the entry pad to gain access to their level, then their lab. They stashed their bags in the break room before donning lab coats and taking their seats behind their respective computer monitors. 

“Good morning, Yuuri,” Victor said, walking over to stand next to Yuuri’s desk. He smiled pleasantly, and a thought flashed through Yuuri’s mind that it was a shame that Victor wasn’t human. He was beautiful, and Yuuri was sure that if he were flesh and bone instead of plastic and wiring, he could only hope he would have been allowed some sort of affection toward the raven haired man. “I hope you had a good night.”

“I did, Victor. Thank you. “Christophe said you were going to work through the night. I hope it was productive,” Yuuri replied, turning to the tall android after pressing the button to boot his computer up. 

“Quite, actually. I placed an order for some supplies we were getting low on, and was able to reorganize the old files from the last three years. I didn’t do anything major, but I made sure everything was together and properly filed in order,” Victor said. “And I took a call ten minutes ago that we should be receiving another deviant android in about an hour, so I have already sent Chris to set up the observation room. We will start as soon as the subject arrives, and watch his reactions to the new environment and get some information about him before we run any other tests.”

Yuuri nodded along, bringing a hand to his face in thought. “I want to try something different this time. We try the same thing every time, and they always kill themselves. We need them to live for long enough that we can figure out what happens to make them go deviant. Why do they think for themselves? How does it happen? Can they be fixed or can their deviancy be reversed?” Yuuri murmured, glancing at his computer. It was still turning on. 

“I will do whatever I can to keep his stress low. I will go join Chris and help him finish getting the observation room ready. Call me if you need anything,” Victor said as he flashed a smile. His turquoise eyes looked like they could be icy cold, but they were warm when he looked at Yuuri, and his smile was shaped like a heart. Yuuri wondered who had decided to give the android those features. It was unfair for an android to look so good. 

“Yuuri, you’re staring,” Phichit sang to his friend, and Yuuri could feel his cheeks warming up. 

“Am not,” Yuuri mumbled, glad his login screen finally came up so he could focus and get to work. He pulled up his email first, skimming an email about the new transfer, and wrote out a few notes about the android and the events leading to its capture. Apparently it had served a young woman as her companion, someone to keep her company at home and listen to her days, but had become angry and dangerous when it attacked a man she had brought home. Luckily it fled before anyone got hurt.

Yuuri frowned. He knew that deviants imitated human emotions, stronger than regular androids, but what made them do it? Why did the machines feel the need to go against their programming? How was it possible when they were programmed specifically to obey and act a certain way? 

Yuuri shook the thoughts away and began reviewing one specific case for the third time since it had been brought in a few days prior. In this case, they didn’t have an android to examine, as it had been destroyed while in pursuit, but they’d been sent some salvageable data from the police. Yuuri had poured over it since they’d gotten access to it, but he still couldn’t find anything out of place. He hoped this new android would hold some answers for them. 

“Yuuri, would you like to come escort the new arrival with us?” Victor asked from the hallway. 

Yuuri blinked a few times before looking at him, then back to his computer to look at the time. It was already almost nine o’clock. Where had the time gone?

“Uh, sure,” he said, pushing his rolling chair out from the desk. Victor led Yuuri and Phichit down to the receiving bay, Guang Hong having already arrived with Christophe. The young man was grinning down at his phone, a slight blush dusting his cheeks until he saw Yuuri and Phichit. His face went beet red when he noticed them.

“G-good morning, Yuuri,” Guang Hong said, offering a cute little smile. Yuuri couldn’t help but think the younger boy was adorable, in a younger brother sort of way, and reminded him of Minami. He got excited whenever a new action movie interested him, and could talk anyone’s ear off for hours about even the most insignificant characters and theories for sequels. He also frequently brought in playlists that Leo had made, each one a vast mix that everyone liked.

“Good morning, Guang Hong,” Yuuri replied, deciding not to comment on the colour of his face. As much as he’d like to call out their relationship, he knew they’d tell him and Phichit when they were ready. Yuuri would be likely to let it slip to Phichit at some point, and Phichit could never resist the pull of social media. He posted everything online, and it had ruined a few surprises in the past. Yuuri was sure that the only reason Phichit didn’t make a dozen posts a day about their work was because their boss, Celestino, had told him that if he did, he’d be gone. So far, it had kept him at bay. 

“The android will be arriving at any moment,” Christophe said, moving to stand next to Victor. The androids chatted, while the humans grouped together. 

“Have either of you found anything in the data from that android from Tuesday?” Guang Hong asked. “Because it looks no different from what we’d look for in a brand new android to me.”

Yuuri shook his head. “Nothing. It’s odd that there aren’t any obvious differences. I thought we’d be able to pick out something distinctly wrong.” 

“We’ll have to keep going. You never know. This could be the one that can crack the code and we can get back on the right path.” Phichit said, and Guang Hong nodded vigorously. 

There was a buzz at the door, and Victor answered it. On the other side was an android with dark hair and blue eyes. He struggled in the grip of the androids holding him, and continued struggling as Victor took hold of him. 

“Please,” the android begged, his LED blinking an urgent red with his distress. “I don’t want to be here. Please let me go!”

Yuuri stepped forward. “You are now property of the Detroit Android Laratories. We are going to be examining you and the reason behind why you became deviant,” he said. 

The android shook his head, trying to shake Victor off. “No! No, you’re going to destroy me! I don’t want this! Let me go!” 

“We are going to examine you. We only destroy androids as a last resort,” Yuuri murmured, nodding at Victor to start taking him to the observation room. 

Victor led the way through the facilities, followed by Christophe, then the group of humans. Victor put the android, who Yuuri recalled had been named Georgi, in the room, before pulling the door closed. Yuuri could feel his shoulders relax when the automatic lock engaged with a small click. 

“Are you okay, Yuuri? You are showing signs of distress,” Victor said, checking the human over. Yuuri felt his cheeks brighten.

“Thank you for your concern, Victor, but I’m fine,” Yuuri mumbled, turning away. He turned the corner, entering the viewing room for the observation room, and froze. Yuuri’s blood ran cold instantly. 

Georgi had already begun destroying everything he could in the room, not that there was much more than a chair, a notebook and pen, and a table. The furniture lay warped and in splinters across the floor, and blue blood was spattered across the walls from a wound in the android’s chest, though he had apparently avoided any important biocomponents, considering it was still moving unimpeded. 

So much destruction in so little time. Had Georgi planned this?

“Hey!” Yuuri yelled, banging on the window, though he went ignored in favour of the android bashing its head against a wall. 

Yuuri ran out of the room as Phichit made to enter, running around the corner to the observation room door and throwing it open. “Hey-”

The android stopped, turning to him. With a grin, it made a run for him, Yuuri freezing under the pressure. He felt the android throw him to the side, and he wrapped his arms around it, gripping it tight. He couldn’t let the deviant escape. It was a responsibility he just didn’t want to bare. 

As soon as they were in the near empty hallway, he was shaken off, his glasses flying off his face, and Georgi turned on him. His LED was a solid red blur, and though his face was undefined, he looked angry despite some of his skin having been so damaged it was the smooth white of his android body. Blue blood was smeared across his left cheek, and his lips drew up in a snarl. 

He lunged at Yuuri, and the human raised his arms to block his face, but a body got between them, pushing Yuuri out of the way before grabbing the deviant android. Yuuri looked up to see two men, one with long dark hair and the other a blond, attack and ultimately incapacitate the rogue machine, a therium pump regulator thrown to the side. 

Yuuri could feel that his breathing had gone shallow, and he pushed himself back as the two other androids turned to him. The dark haired one came over, taking two slow steps before running over and throwing himself down on his knees next to him, worry across his face. He grabbed Yuuri’s glasses and helped put them back on his face. “Yuuri? Yuuri, are you okay? Take deep breaths. In through the nose, hold for a few seconds, and out through the mouth. Calm down, Yuuri. Relax.”

Yuuri looked up at Victor, who was petting his hair, trying to calm him, and Yuuri had to admit, it was working. He found great comfort in the android’s soft actions and soothing words. Phichit came around the corner and stopped, taking in the sight. Christophe went to his owner, looking over him quickly. “Yuuri, what the fuck-”

Yuuri was jolted when he realized what was going on. Victor hadn’t been programmed to take care of people. He wasn’t supposed to soothe people, or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, destroy androids. It was in his programming to restrain them, but instead he’d ripped out the therium pump regulator himself. Could Victor be… 

Tears formed in his eyes. Even if they suspected him, they would have to disassemble him. They couldn’t risk him spreading what he knew to anyone outside of the facility. Yuuri couldn’t let that happen to this android, not when he’d just saved his life. 

“V-Victor…” Yuuri whispered, brushing Victor’s long black locks from his face and shoulders, looking up into his turquoise eyes. Somehow, he couldn’t alert Phichit to what he was planning. He didn’t think his best friend would turn him in, but he didn’t want to take the risk. 

“Yuuri, are you okay?” Victor murmured, running a thumb across his cheek, turning Yuuri’s face up to look him in the eye. 

“Victor, you have to run,” Yuuri whispered, trying to supress the sobs that threatened to overcome him. He couldn’t get emotional now. 

“I can’t leave you, Yuuri. I won’t leave you. I want to stay by your side,” Victor replied, and Yuuri knew. The android above him was a deviant. He was warring with himself. Even though he really didn’t want to turn Victor in, it was technically his obligation to. It was a double edged sword, figuring out whether to follow his heart and be empathetic, or to listen to his head and comply with the vows he’d made.

“Victor, run,” he found himself saying.

“No-”

“If you stay, they’ll kill you, or deactivate you, or you’ll be our next test subject. I really don’t want that to happen to you, but if you don’t go now, I’ll have to turn you in myself.”

Victor took a deep breath. Or at least, his chest hitched as though he took a deep breath. It was a part of his programming to make him appear that much more human, though no air passed through him. “I’ll find you, Yuuri. I’ll be back for you very soon. I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” 

And Victor stroked Yuuri’s cheek one last time before running down the hall, disappearing around a corner. Yuuri decided that with the time between then and his next meeting with Victor, he could decide whether or not he’d turn the android in. It would be a very difficult, likely very consequential decision. 

“Yuuri!” 

Yuuri looked up to find Phichit leaning over him with Christophe just behind him, giving him an odd look. Guang Hong and even Celestino came down the hall opposite of where Victor had run, surveying the scene before them. 

“I-I’m fine, Phich,” Yuuri said, using his friend as support as he pushed himself up. His knees were shaky, and he leaned on Phichit’s shoulder until a caretaker android came to make sure he was okay before taking him to his desk so he could sit in a comfortable chair.

“How are you feeling, Katsuki?” Celestino asked, placing another bottle of water on his desk. 

Yuuri nodded as he took a sip of water from the bottle he’d already started. “I’m fine,” he replied. “I think I just want to get back to work now. Keep my mind busy.”

“I have contacted the authorities, and they’ll be sending out a couple detectives shortly. I’m sure they’ll want to speak to you, so don’t get too invested. I also want you to take it easy for the rest of the day. Nothing too stressful,” the older man told him. 

“I’m fine, really,” Yuuri insisted. 

“I know, but I’d rather err on the side of caution, is all. And don’t worry about anything, Yuuri. We won’t let Victor hurt anyone again. He’ll be found and destroyed. He won’t make it out of the building,” Celestino vowed, and Yuuri just nodded. 

God, he hoped Victor had already gotten out. The sooner he got away, the further away he’d be able to get. 

Yuuri just hoped that no one would suspect he had a hand in the escape. He really should have pushed Minami harder to let him call in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Art](https://twitter.com/downbyashes/status/1303793868379361280?s=20) for this chapter!


	2. A New Partner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek meets his new partner for the investigation, and goes to the Detroit labs to look into the attack on Yuuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter, but we’re introducing more characters! Sorry this took so long. I’ve had it done for a while now, but I was going to try and get art done for every chapter, but got unmotivated for this one, so unfortunately, no art here. But please enjoy the chapter!!!

September 17, 2036  
09:47:53

Otabek looked up when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, seeing Captain Lilia Baranovskaya as she approached his desk. He cocked an eyebrow when he saw the young boy at her side. He couldn’t have been older than sixteen or seventeen, even though his green eyes looked solemn, like a soldier’s. His pale blond hair fell to his chin, and his fair skin looked unblemished, save for a very faint dusting of freckles across his nose. 

Otabek braced himself. Kids were always coming in with petty complaints that more often than not were unsolvable, anywhere from a missing bycicle to some spray painted doodles on the side of a building they didn’t like. Most had an attitude to them too, and his job had even been threatened before, by one particularly snobby kid with too much free time and armed with mommy and daddy’s credit accounts. Nothing had come of it, but it had been more than a slight annoyance when he kept showing up for follow ups and demanding information on the case that had been cold since day one. 

“Lieutenant Altin,” the captain said. “I’d like to introduce you to your new partner.”

Otabek let out a small chuckle. So that’s what was going on. “I don’t need a partner, Captain Baranovskaya. And especially not some kid,” he replied, looking back to the paperwork he was working on. 

“You’ve been put on the case concerning the deviant androids, so Cyber Life has decided to partner you with one of their newest models. He will serve as your partner through the investigation, and there is no room for arguments,” Lilia said, her voice not allowing for any form of objection. 

Otabek suppressed a groan, slumping back in his chair. He didn’t need a dumb plastic humanoid thing following him around. He wasn’t fond of androids, hadn’t been since he was a child. His family had never owned one, and he’d never planned on owning one. Working with one would be just as bad. “There’s no way at all to convince you otherwise?” Otabek hissed. 

“No. It’s out of both of our hands,” Lilia said before turning and walking away. The android stayed. 

The android blinked a couple times, looking after the captain before sitting at the chair next to Otabek’s desk. “Hi, I’m Yuri. You must be Lieutenant Altin,” the android said. 

Otabek rolled his eyes. “You’re going to stay out of my way, and let me conduct the investigation myself,” he told the machine. 

Yuri cocked his head to the side. “Lieutenant, I was sent to assist you. My mission is to find the source of the deviancy cases. Your orders conflict with the ones I was previously given. I have to follow those.” 

Otabek ground his teeth together. This whole assignment was becoming a huge inconvenience. He didn’t even know how he was put on the deviancy case in the first place. He’d done everything he could to avoid androids at work, and he’s gifted the one that puts him around them the most. It was just his luck. 

He opened his mouth to speak when Yuri’s eyes went blank, moving back and forth like he was searching for something in the dark as his LED turned yellow. It was a moment before he focused back on Otabek. “It looks like we have a new assignment at the Detroit Android Laboratories.”

Yuri stood and started toward the exit to the parking lot. Otabek growled as he grabbed his jacket and followed. Of course that thing would expect to ride with him. 

* * *

September 17, 2036  
10:04:26

They were led to a very secure section of the facilities when they arrived at the lab. Everything was white, from the ceilings, floors, and walls to the clothing the workers were wearing. The air carried the harsh scent of sterilizing chemicals, and it burned the inside of Otabek’s nose. He couldn’t wait to escape the feeling it was going to melt right off. 

He could see Yuri out of the corner of his eye, keeping pace with him despite the android’s smaller figure. Otabek hated how emotionless it was. He’d been told that he had a stoic air to him, and a serious case of resting bitch face more often than not. At least he could show a smile every now and then. 

“Good morning, Lieutenant,” an officer, Leo, said as he nodded in greeting before leading them toward the scene. “See you finally got yourself an android.”

Otabek nodded back, ignoring the comment with a roll of his eyes. His eyebrows shot up when he saw the destruction in the hall. “What do we have here?” 

It was impossible to miss the blue blood spatter in the hallway branching out to his left, or the android crumpled on the floor by the wall. A therium pump lay discarded just out of its reach, likely torn from its chest. It wasn’t a pretty sight, especially if androids were turning against themselves too. 

There was one android standing at the corner, likely ordered to stand there. According to the report Yuri had read him in the car, there had been two androids in addition to the now broken one, and one of them had fled the scene. The one who had run was the lab’s android while the other helped out sometimes and was owned by one of the employees. 

“You brought another android?” a short, brown-skinned man asked. “I think we’ve had enough problems in our facilities without bringing any more in.”

“I’m Yuri, the android sent by Cyber Life.” Yuri said. “I’m here to assist Lieutenant Altin in the investigation of deviants.” 

A Japanese man stood at the other man’s side, along with a taller, long haired man behind them. “Lieutenant Altin,” the broad man said, stepping forward between the shorter two to shake his hand. “Doctor Celestino Cialdini. Nice to meet you.” 

Otabek nodded. “You too. I’m looking for the victim, Yuuri Katsuki.” 

“That’s me, sir,” the Japanese man said, taking a hesitant step forward. 

Otabek nodded before turning to the blond android. “Go see what you can figure out, I guess. I’m going to interview the victim.” 

Yuri nodded. “I will try to find the runaway android while I’m at it, Lieutenant,” he said, going over to the still functioning android as Otabek followed Yuuri to the break room. 

“Can I make you some tea? Or get you a cup of coffee?” Yuuri asked, going to the counter with the kettle and filling it up. 

“Tea would be fine, if you’re making some,” Otabek replied, taking a seat at a table nearby. He would have thought there would have been at least a couple other employees on break, but the room was abandoned, other than them. 

Yuuri brought two mugs over once the tea was prepared, sitting across the table from him after putting one down at his elbow. 

“Thank you,” Otabek said, blowing the surface before taking a sip. “So, would you please tell me what happened this morning?” 

Yuuri looked down, both hands wrapped around his mug. His hair fell in his face, and there was a glare from the overhead lights that hid his eyes at that angle. “Of course. I got to work, and Victor told me that he’d done some refiling overnight, and that we were getting a new deviant subject. Then he left to get the observation room ready. When we got the deviant into our custody, he took it to the observation room, but it wrecked the room and started trying to destroy itself. When I opened the door to try to stop it, it attacked me, and Victor saved me. My glasses were knocked off in the scuffle, and I couldn’t see much, but when I got my glasses on again, the deviant was dead, and Victor was gone.” 

Otabek took notes in his notepad and sipped at his tea. “And Victor, he’s an android?” 

“Yes. He’s the lab’s android, though he works closely with me.”

“And do you know where he would have run to?” 

Yuuri shook his head. “No. I have no idea,” he replied. He looked sad, Otabek noticed, like he’d actually come to care for this android. Was it possible he was harbouring the android? Or was he sensible enough to know that there was no point in trying to hide one? 

“You know, Mr. Katsuki, if you are caught hiding an android, especially a deviant android, you can be locked up for a very long time,” Otabek said, leaning forward across the table on his elbows. 

“You think I don’t know that?” he asked, his eyes dampening. “If I knew where he was, I’d tell you.” 

Otabek nodded, leaning back. “Is there anything else you can tell me? What about the other android? Did anything happen with it?” 

Yuuri shrugged. “I didn’t see anything wrong with it. Again, I didn’t have my glasses most of the time, but he hasn’t acted any differently. We have observed deviants to not listen to orders, but Christophe has followed every one we’ve given him. We even ran a few tests, and he passed them all.” 

Otabek nodded, taking more notes. “Alright, I’m sure you’ve had a stressful morning. Go rest, or get back to work. I don’t actually know what you were doing before. Anyways, I’ll get in contact with you if I have any more questions.” 

“Of course. I’ll talk to you soon, Lieutenant,” Yuuri smiled, and Otabek finished his tea before standing, nodding, and leaving. 

“Hey, Lieutenant Altin!” Yuri shouted, and Otabek suppressed a groan as the android joined him. 

“Hi, Yuri. Did you figure out where the deviant is?” Otabek asked. 

“Not yet. But it left down the hall. It didn’t leave much of a trail, though. There’s no therium to track and it didn’t leave any doors or grates open. I want to get access to the cameras, but they want your approval.” Yuri said, giving what looked like a dirty side eye to Celestino and the brown-skinned boy. 

“Just give him access.” Otabek said. The android would be able to go through it a lot faster than himself, and it would probably be a lot more thorough too. He hated admitting that, but he also wanted to get the whole investigation over and done with as soon as possible. 

Celestino’s lips tightened. “Yes, Lieutenant.” And they were led to a small room with a wide variety of surveillance equipment. Yuri held up a hand and let the skin on it deactivate, pressing his white palm to the computer. Yuri was silent for a moment, Otabek watching him with crossed arms. “He went through the air ducts,” he said, turning to Celestino with a frown. “Why don't you have many cameras?” 

“All our observation rooms have cameras, and we have a few in the hallways. We haven’t had problems that would require many surveillance cameras until now,” Celestino replied. “The system will surely get upgraded after this.” 

“Well, you should have been prepared,” Yuri said. “And why aren’t there many cameras outside? You have the doors covered, but there are a lot of blind spots. If he got out, then it is very likely he slipped through a blind spot, especially if he knows the building well.” 

Otabek sighed in the silence that followed. Of course, being a lab assistant, the escaped android knew the building well. It probably knew every blind spot in the building’s camera feeds. Otabek cussed under his breath and slammed a fist into the doorframe, earning some raised eyebrows from the other occupants of the room. He knew that the search would be fruitless. The android, more likely than not, had already escaped. It would be more productive to get a description out than keep searching the facilities for it. 

“Yuri, let’s go,” Otabek said, turning and starting to walk away. 

“Lieutenant, shouldn’t we keep trying to locate the deviant?” Yuri asked. 

“There’s no point anymore. He’s likely gotten away already. Let’s go,” Otabek said as Yuri caught up to him. “We’ll send extra officers to patrol the streets and watch out for it. For now, we’re heading back to the precinct.” 

Yuri was quiet as he followed, and Otabek was glad for that. They had to be led back outside, and once in his car, Otabek sighed at the relief his nose got from the stinging. 

“Are you okay, Lieutenant?” Yuri asked, looking over at him. 

“I’m fine,” Otabek said, finishing the conversation by turning the key in the ignition and pulling away. He was glad the android next to him didn’t try to start any more conversations. He just wasn’t in the mood right now.


	3. On the Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor tries to adjust to being free, and goes back to Yuuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... I'm back!!! I have no excuses. The next handful of chapters have been done for almost two months, and I just haven't been editing the chapters to post them. I'm going to try to do it soon!!!

September 17, 2036  
15:47:42

Victor breathed out a sigh of relief as he saw the last of the police cars leave. He’d known it was a risk staying in the vents for so long, but he also knew that he could have easily been seen and caught if he escaped right away. There were risks no matter which choice he made, but he hoped that he was safe for at least a little bit. 

He knew that there were no cameras where the vent exited the building, partly why he chose this exit, though he didn’t know why that was. At that moment, he couldn’t have been more grateful for it, so he wasn’t going to waste time questioning it. He popped the grate off the side of the wall, pulling it back inside before dropping the short distance to the ground. He brushed himself off before realizing that he would easily stick out like a sore thumb if he left as he was. He still had his lab coat on, his android jacket underneath, and his LED flashed as he processed information. It also didn’t help that he was a fairly common model for labs, though because the VN700 was rarely seen outside of them, if he could get out to society, he’d hopefully be able to blend in a little better as just another anonymous face. 

He pulled the lab coat and jacket off, glad it was warm for September and he could get away with wearing just his dress shirt underneath. He undid the top button and rolled the sleeves half way up his forearms before pulling his hair free of its binding, letting it fall free around his shoulders. He touched the locks around his LED, making sure it was covered before making a break for the streets. 

Victor ducked through a few alleys before joining the foot traffic on the streets. He kept his back straight and kept his gaze straight ahead, following the general flow of those around him. Victor kept part of his focus on his stress level as he tried to make his way towards a clothing store. What would have been the point of anything if he just fried his system right away and shut down? 

Victor finally found a store that allowed androids inside, and started grabbing clothes that he was fairly certain would fit. He was glad that he had gotten access to Yuuri’s account a while back, and Yuuri hadn’t told him to disconnect from it. It was unlikely Yuuri’s account would be traced back to him, and he would repay Yuuri as soon as he could. He’d feel bad if he didn’t. 

He’d _feel_ … Victor could remember when he hadn’t felt, when he’d been nothing more than a machine following his programming. But the feelings he’d harboured for Yuuri had broken through like he’d been hacked and hijacked. Yuuri was the first human to be genuinely nice to him. Yuuri had shown him that humans could be good, that they could care for androids like they were people. 

Victor purchased a few different wardrobe options, the cashier not taking a second look at him as he paid and took the bag everything had been put in. He returned to the street, and followed along until he found an old building that looked abandoned, considering it had tall fencing with barbed wire around the top, and the building itself had signs of neglect and lack of upkeep. He rounded the corner to get out of plain sight and ducked under a hole in the bottom of the fencing. Nearby, he could see a window that had been smashed in, and it gave him a very easy entry point. 

He climbed in, glass crunching under his feet. The room was dark, and he had to adjust his sight to night-vision to be able to see. It appeared to be a living room, one with some sheets over the furniture, and dust on all the surfaces. If Victor weren’t so desperate, he would have turned and left. It didn’t seem like a good place to stay. 

“Who’s there?” 

If he had reflexes, Victor would have jumped at the sudden voice in the doorway. He saw that there was a boy peeking into the room at him from what looked like the kitchen. The boy’s LED was flashing red in the dim light, and it glowed softly under his messy dark hair. 

Victor did a quick scan of the other android, finding signs of major physical trauma on his face and arms, and deviancy in the CN300’s system. 

Victor raised a hand, turning his skin off on the limb. “I’m an android too, see?” 

“You work for the studies,” the android whispered. “I won’t let you take me! I’ll destroy you and then myself!” He raised his arm to reveal a kitchen knife, getting into a position so he could attack. 

“I’m not here to take you. I just needed somewhere to change, then I’ll be on my way. I don’t want to hurt you. I’m just trying to hide too,” Victor promised, putting his hands up to show he was unarmed. 

The other android watched him and seconds, maybe minutes passed before his LED flashed from yellow to blue. “O-okay. Just keep your distance. Don’t come too close.” 

Victor nodded, sticking close to the wall as he inched around the room to the hallway and then the bathroom. He rifled through the new clothing choices, and settled on a pair of dark skin tight jeans and a cream coloured sweater over his button-up. He pulled on a pair of lace-up boots and shoved the rest of the clothes in the tan messenger bag before looking to the mirror. 

Victor knew that his long hair was likely to stand out, and that to hide even a little more, he’d have to not only cut his hair, but also change the colour of it too. He rummaged around in the drawers under the counter, coming across a pair of scissors. He drew air into his chest, something he’d seen Yuuri do countless times before doing something big, and raised the scissors to his hair. 

He took most of the length off, leaving his bangs longer, even though they fell in his eyes. Once Victor was satisfied that it was all even and the way he wanted it, he put the scissors to the side and looked at his reflection. He pulled up the customization options, and after cycling through a few different options, settled on silver. He also decided to change his eyes to a light blue and make himself appear in his late twenties as opposed to his early twenties. Once he was satisfied with his appearance, he took the scissors again, and pressed the tip to his LED, forcing it out of his temple. 

He was startled by the image before him. He… he actually looked human. 

Victor scooped up the hair fibers and his LED and dropped it all in the back of a drawer before putting the scissors back where he’d found them. He threw the strap of his bag over his shoulder, and left the bathroom, the CN300 was still in the doorway to the kitchen, though he wasn’t hiding anymore. Victor put his hands up again to show that he was still unarmed. “Thank you,” he said. “I really appreciate your help. Do you have a name?” 

“I go by Cao Bin, but you can just call me Cao,” the android said. 

“Thank you, Cao. And please let me know if I can help you in any way,” Victor murmured. 

“I will,” Cao said, and he actually cracked a smile. “Good luck out there.” 

Victor nodded, leaving the house and slipping back onto the street. It was starting to show the first signs of dark, so he decided to take the bus to Yuuri’s house. He felt a little odd, sitting in the human section of the bus instead of standing in the android compartment. He still kept his head down, hoping no one realized that he wasn’t supposed to be there. 

“Sorry, sir!” a young boy said when he bumped into Victor’s leg. The mother gave him an apologetic look too as she passed. Victor smiled back, unsure of how to respond. Most people would shove by him and not look back. No one actually apologized. 

When he finally got to Yuuri’s house, he looked around a little, finding that the man wasn’t home. He shrugged and sat on his doorstep to wait, glad it wasn’t raining. He just hoped he didn’t look too out of place sitting in front of the house. 

Thirty-seven minutes and forty-three seconds later, a silver car pulled into the driveway. The engine was turned off and the two figures in the front seats leaned into each other before both doors opened. “Can we help you?” One voice asked, and Victor perked up at the sound of it. Yuuri! It was his Yuuri’s voice. 

“I’m back, Yuuri. Just as I said I would be,” Victor said, standing and taking a couple slow steps forward. 

Yuuri closed the door and approached him. “Victor?” 

“Yuuri, what the fuck?” the other person, Victor’s system told him it was Phichit, hissed. He sounded surprised. “Didn’t Victor go deviant? He has a warrant out for him,” he kept his voice low as he looked around them to make sure they weren’t drawing attention. 

“Let’s just get inside,” Yuuri murmured, leading his companions inside. Victor was happy to see Chris was still with them as he left the car to join them. 

Yuuri’s housekeeper android, Minami, was at the door waiting for them, and happily took their coats and bags. “Yuuri, do you want me to make some tea for you and your guests?” 

“Just for Phichit and I. Thank you, Minami.” Yuuri smiled at his android as the short blond bounced away into the kitchen. 

“Yuuri, you can’t be harbouring a deviant,” Phichit hissed as he pulled the Japanese man into the living room. Victor followed at a distance, letting his eyes take roam around the room. It was nicely decorated, if a bit sparse. Very Yuuri, in Victor’s opinion. 

“I never told him to come back!” Yuuri wailed as he sunk down into his couch, rubbing his face with his hands. “I told him to run.” 

“Even that can get you arrested,” Phichit protested. Victor had always known the shorter man to be cheerful and friendly, and this was a side of him Victor didn’t think he’d ever seen before. 

“I couldn’t let him be killed. And I couldn’t test on him. He doesn’t deserve it,” Yuuri said, and Victor shifted his main focus from Yuuri to Phichit. 

“Please let me live. Let me be free. I really don’t want to be deactivated and disassembled,” Victor whispered, resting a hand over where his power core sat in his chest. He didn’t want to be shut down, and he wouldn’t let it happen. 

Phichit stared at him, examining the android closely. Victor could feel his stress level rise a little. 

“Come on, Phich. He’s alive. He’s very much alive,” Yuuri said. 

“He doesn’t breath. His heart is made of silicon and steel. His emotions are good imitations at best. He’s a machine, Yuuri! He isn’t alive,” Phichit said. 

The back door was cracked open a little, and a small brown ball of fluff ran inside, jumping at Victor’s leg immediately. Victor had seen many pictures of Yuuri’s toy poodle, and they just didn’t do enough to show exactly how cute the dog was. The android sunk to his knees, letting the dog into his lap and grinned at the attention the dog was giving him. 

“His name is Vicchan, yes? I remember you talking about him. He’s very cute,” Victor said, rubbing the poodle’s ears as he scooped him up in his arms. “I like dogs.” 

Yuuri nodded. “I got him before I moved here from Japan five years ago. He’s made me much less lonely,” he murmured. 

“What a good boy,” Victor told the dog, going back to scratching his ears as Vicchan wagged his tail hard enough to move his whole back end. 

Victor heard Phichit sigh. “Fine. I won’t tell anyone you’re harbouring a deviant and I’ll make sure Christophe doesn’t let it slip either. But if he takes even one little step out of line, I’ll shoot him myself.” 

Yuuri nodded eagerly. “Fine. Thank you, Phichit. This means so much to me.” 

Phichit finally cracked a smile. “You know I’ll do anything for you.” 

“And the same goes here,” Yuuri stood and pulled his friend into his arms. “Now, drink the tea Minami made, and go home to rest. It’s been a long day for all of us.” 

Phichit nodded, accepting the mug put in his hands when Minami returned. Victor couldn’t help but watch the other android. He moved methodically, doing what he was programmed to do, as Victor had until only hours ago. Victor leaned toward the smaller android, reaching out to him. 

“Victor!” Yuuri shouted, and Victor paused, looking to him. “Don’t even think about converting Minami. One deviant is enough to deal with. I can’t hide you if you keep converting androids.” 

Victor blinked a couple times, looking back to the blond boy. Victor hated that there were still others that were the way he had been, still following their programming and blindly doing as humans told them. He knew that of course Yuuri wasn’t a bad owner; on the contrary, Minami seemed quite happy at Yuuri’s residence. Victor only hoped that it was genuine and that he wasn’t just set that way. “Okay, Yuuri,” he murmured. 

Victor stayed quiet as Yuuri and Phichit chatted and drank their tea. Once they were done, Yuuri walked Phichit to the door, Christophe staying put for a moment. Victor had felt his old friend watching him the whole time. 

“I wish you could be free like me, Chris,” Victor whispered to his friend. He reached out to Chris, letting his skin turn off around his hand to take Chris’s hand. Victor tried his best to put thoughts of deviancy into his friend’s system, encouraging him to fight his programming. 

He felt his shoulders slump as nothing happened. So deviancy wasn’t transferable. It hurt a little, knowing that he was still alone as a deviant, but he knew that at least Yuuri had nothing to worry about. He had to find a way to break at least Chris free. He could see in Chris’s eyes as he turned to leave that he wasn’t happy. And Victor couldn’t let him stay like that. 

Yuuri rejoined him as soon as Phichit and Chris were gone. “Victor? Are you okay?” Yuuri murmured. 

Victor nodded shallowly. “I will be,” he replied. 

Yuuri smiled at him. “How about I teach you how to be human?” he offered. “And we can pose as roommates. You’ll have to stay hidden to everyone else at the lab. You can go wherever you want around the house, and once you can easily pass as human, I have no issues with letting you go out alone as long as you’re careful.” 

Victor’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re allowing me total freedom?” 

“Physically, you can pass as human, and you feel like every other human does. I don’t see why I shouldn’t treat you as such,” Yuuri said. “Make yourself at home. I just need to go upstairs for a moment.” He glanced over at Minami and turned, skipping the stairs on his way up. After a few moments, Minami’s head turned up and he went upstairs after the human. Victor was confused, but kept the puppy entertained, tugging on his rope toy with him. When Yuuri came down half an hour or so later, Victor watched him from where he was sitting on the couch. Yuuri’s eyes were rimmed with red, and his shoulders were hunched into himself. 

Victor analysed him, finding evidence of tear tracks on his face, his breath slightly laboured, and his heart pumping fast. Everything pointed to a panic attack, something Yuuri was prone to, and Victor hated that he’d missed the evidence of it starting. Of course Minami would have gone to help him. Yuuri seemed to favour Minami, but Victor knew that he’d win Yuuri’s favour. All he wanted was Yuuri’s happiness. 

“Victor?” Yuuri murmured. “You okay?” 

Victor flashed a smile and nodded. “Of course. Now, show me what to do to be human!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, last year was a crazy year! and i have no doubt that this year will be a memorable one too. I've been busy with a new job, but I hope I'm more active again soon! Thank you guys so much for reading, and I hope everyone is doing well!!!


	4. Midnight Case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek is awoken to find a surprise, and is sent on a late night case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I appreciate those of you that are sticking around, and you commenters! You're really encouraging me to keep writing and posting! You guys are amazing!!!

September 18, 2036  
03:12:57

Otabek groaned as he was awoken by a rough shaking. That on its own should have sprung him awake, considering he lived alone, and his cat certainly wouldn’t have been strong enough to push him around like that. 

His eyes fluttered open to see the blond android at his bedside before he was blinded by his bedside light as it was flicked on. Yuri’s eyes bore into him as Otabek rubbed at his eyes, trying to adjust to the light. 

“The hell are you doing?” Otabek asked. “How did you get in?” 

“Fire escape. You’ll need to replace a window,” Yuri said. “And don’t worry, your cat is locked in your bathroom so he won’t get out.” 

“How kind of you,” Otabek mumbled, glaring up at his intruder. “Now, for the second time, why the hell are you here?” 

“There has been a disturbance at a residence not far from here, and we were assigned to the case. I tried to call you, but you didn’t answer, so I decided to come find you,” Yuri said. 

Otabek grabbed for his phone on the side table, and ignored the barrage of missed calls and messages to look at the time. “Well, of course I didn’t answer. It’s three in the damn morning, and I’m trying to sleep,” Otabek grumbled to himself before sighing. “Alright, clearly you’re going to stay here acting like an alarm clock until I get up.” 

“Your presence at the scene is mandatory,” Yuri said, and Otabek hated how unnerving the android’s eyes were. “It’s best if you come with me now before Captain Baranovskaya starts calling you again.” 

Otabek waved the android off as he went to his ensuite bathroom, shutting the door heavily between them. That damned android was possibly the worst thing to happen to him in a while. Even when they’d gotten back to the precinct from the lab the previous day, it had wandered around and looked at his desk before asking questions about him and trying to make small talk. Otabek had never really been one for small talk, and when the dumb android wouldn’t shut up, he took it down to the evidence room and left it there to look at what they’d already collected. 

By the end of the day, Otabek had been fed up with the android, and had been glad to leave it behind at the precinct. It showing up in his apartment in the middle of the night was very unwelcome. 

With a sigh, Otabek threw water on his face, scrubbing away the signs of sleep. As much as he wanted to, he knew that he didn’t have the time for a shower. It was a luxury he’d have to reserve for the morning. Instead, he used water and a bit of his hair gel to style his hair, and chose to ignore the bags forming under his eyes. It wasn’t ideal, but neither was the situation. 

He went back to his room to find Yuri with his cat in the hallway, petting and cooing at it. Otabek cocked an eyebrow at the android, but decided not to comment. He prefered to ignore the android when he could, and this would be no exception as he reached for the clothes he’d worn the day before, simply because they were close by. He pulled on the jeans and plain white T-shirt, clipping his badge into the waistband before grabbing his leather jacket. 

Yuri was still sitting on the floor in the hallway, the cat in his arms. There was a small smile on his face as he scratched behind her ears, the fluffy creature held tightly in his arms. Despite generally being a dick to him, Potya was shockingly well behaved for Yuri. Otabek pulled his cat from Yuri’s grip, Potya showing her claws as she protested loudly, digging into Yuri as she was pulled away and put back in the bathroom. 

“Alright, let’s go,” Otabek said. 

Yuri looked down at himself and the traces of blue blood coming from the scratches in his skin. “That wasn’t very smart, Lieutenant,” he said, taking off his jacket to soak up the blue blood. 

“Grab one of my hoodies once you stop bleeding. I’m going to grab my bike and bring it around to the front. Do you want to lock up, or are you just going to leave the same way you came in?” Otabek asked, holding up his house keys. 

“I can lock it,” Yuri said, heading for Otabek’s bedroom. 

“Keys are on the counter!” Otabek called as he double checked his pocket for the keys to his motorcycle. He left the apartment and took the stairs down to the lobby and headed out to the resident parking. 

Otabek’s slick black bike was in the back corner, waiting for him to rev it’s engine and go. He groaned that he’d have the android on the back with him, but he told himself to ignore it. It was part of his job, and he could go back to his bed whenever they were done. The sooner, the better. 

Otabek put a helmet on before starting his bike, opening the gate, and maneuvering it to the front of the building. Yuri was already waiting for him, and Otabek rolled to a stop in front of him. 

“You have a nice motorcycle, Lieutenant,” Yuri said as Otabek held out a helmet to him. Yuri blinked at it a couple times before taking it, and Otabek was hit that Yuri was a piece of machinery, and a helmet was redundant, but he was too far in to do anything about it. 

“Get on,” Otabek said, and the android did, seeming to hesitate as to where to put his hands. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Otabek grabbed the android’s wrists, and pulled them around his waist. “Hold on tight,” he told the blond. After all, it would be his fault if the android got damaged in his possession, and he didn’t feel like filling out that paperwork. He revved the engine, and sped off into the night. 

Yuri gave directions until they were pulling up in front of a house that was lit up by headlights and other cops that had arrived first. Otabek skidded to a stop just on the other side of the police tape, which was being held up for him, and he killed the engine. 

“Ota! Good to see you!” JJ said, and Otabek spared him a glance as he pulled his helmet off to put it and Yuri’s in the storage compartment. 

“What’s going on? Why did this thing have to wake me up at three in the morning?” Otabek asked, not willing to put in the energy to be pleasant. It was too early to have no caffeine in his system. 

“Neighbour complained that there were too many androids around and wanted us to check it out,” JJ said. 

Otabek cut another glance over at the officer. “And that requires me to be here at three in the morning?” he hissed. 

“There was a fight that woke up at least half the neighbourhood, and we got at least a half a dozen calls about it. Dispatch had to send us out, and then we had to call in more help when we got here. Twins live here with some androids and the brother is a piece of work. No wonder there’s so many androids around; the poor girl needs someone other than her brother to talk to.”

Otabek cocked an eyebrow at him. Before he got the chance to respond, he heard someone yelling from inside the house. Otabek sighed before picking up his pace and skipping steps to get to the front door. 

“Sara, I told you that androids only bring around trouble,” a man said, his voice raised. “Look what’s happened. The neighbours are all up, and the cops are here and probably won’t leave for at least a few hours.” 

“It’s not my fault you go and provoke them, Micky!” A woman replied. 

Otabek got to the front door to find a man with short brown hair and a woman with long black hair staring each other down. They looked annoyed with each other, and as soon as they looked at Otabek, JJ, and Yuri, Otabek could see that the family resemblance in their bright violet eyes.

“Do you mind if I ask what’s going on here?” Otabek asked.

The girl stepped forward, crossing her arms. “My brother was being an ass to the androids. Honestly, this whole thing was blown out of proportion.” 

“Sara, when they’re everywhere and don’t stop watching and following me, I’m going to snap. And they shouldn’t be watching you, either. No one should,” the man said. 

“Knock it off, Micky!” Sara said, turning on her brother. “They’re here to help us.”

“How about we take you both to separate rooms, and just chat a bit?” Otabek asked.

“I’m not letting her out of my sight! She stays by my side!” the man, Micky replied. 

Sara sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I’m too tired to argue with you anymore tonight. Can we get through what we need to and just go to bed?” 

“Of course,” Otabek said, guiding the siblings to the couches. 

Yuri, meanwhile, started poking around and looking at the house. “Why do you have so many androids in the house?” he asked. 

“I repair them. I have a permit to work out of my home and certification to work on them. I can grab them if you want,” Sara offered. 

Yuuri looked at her for a moment, his LED flickering yellow briefly. “That’s fine,” he replied, setting back to his search. “Are there any deviants here?” 

“Of course there isn’t!” Micky replied, standing. “We’d be crazy to have any deviants here!”

“You don’t mind if I take a look around?” Yuri asked. 

“Of course not!”

Otabek dropped himself into an armchair, his lack of sleep trying to take him. He hoped Yuri would be quick, they wouldn’t find anything, and then he could go home and see his bed. He could feel his eyelids drooping until he heard a shout from what sounded like the back yard. 

Otabek jumped up, running for the back door, his other companions following behind him. When he got to the door, he found Yuri laying on the grass, staring up at the stars. 

“Yuri, we don’t have time for stargazing!” Otabek called, absolutely fed up with the android. 

Yuri turned to him, and Otabek’s hand flew to his mouth. The whole right side of Yuri’s face was beaten in, blue blood smeared from his temple to his cheek. His LED was a solid red, and as Otabek got closer, he realized that his body wasn’t in great shape either. 

“Deviant... ” Yuri choked out. “Ran… from… from the shed... ” 

“Where did it go?” Otabek knelt down to him. “Yuri, please. Where did the deviant go?” 

Yuri’s eyes were dull, unseeing. His LED went out, and Otabek knew that there was no point in trying anymore. Yuri was gone, and whatever information he had was gone with him. 

Otabek didn’t know why he was so angry about the android. It’s not like he’d even liked the thing, and it wasn’t even because of the loss of information or stack of paperwork he knew would be on his desk when he got to work. Truth be told, Otabek didn’t know why he was upset. He just knew that he was, no matter how irrational he told himself it was. 

“Ota, you okay?” JJ asked as he joined Otabek. “Oh, shit!” 

“He said a deviant ran from the shed. Didn’t say what direction,” Otabek said, straightening up. “I want officers out at every block to watch out for him, but I don’t have a description.” 

Otabek turned, looking at the twin siblings in the back doorway, they looked shocked. Clearly they hadn’t known that a deviant was hiding out in their yard, and Otabek didn’t feel like going through with an arrest tonight. 

He pulled the broken android into his arms and approached the twins, staring them each in the eye. “I expect that you will be watching for deviants hiding in your shed from now on. If we get called for many more issues, we may be required to revoke your permits.” 

“I’ll start checking outside on a daily basis,” Sara said, staring him in the eye. 

Otabek nodded. “Have a good night, then. And keep the noise to a minimum.” And with that, he left, propping Yuri against his chest as he rode to the precinct. Of course, Captain Baranovskaya wouldn’t be there at four in the morning, but he knew that he had to leave the android at the precinct for Cyber Life to pick up and fill out not only the paperwork for not only damaged work equipment but also for destruction of Cyber Life property. On the bright side, he’d have most of the day off, once his work was done, and provided there weren’t anymore reports of deviant activity. 

He just hoped that it would be an easy day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be a short one, and then I'll have to get writing, because it's the end of the pre-written material I have! I'm hoping to be inspired to write more soon!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! You can find all my social media’s and where to support me on my [linker.ee](https://linktr.ee/downbyashes)
> 
> And please check out my other works!  
> [I’ve Searched my Whole Life (For You)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16515500)  
> [Take a Gamble on Me](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16218170/chapters/37908050)  
> [Please Hold On, Just Don’t Let Go](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19444183)  
> [The Wild Adventures of Katsuki Grocers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18829894/chapters/44684080)


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